Six Burning Camp Questions?

With the Buccaneers five days from there first training camp practice, to kick off the 2009 season. There are six burning camp questions that desperately need answering before the home opener, although many might not have a definitive answer until after the season is over.

Who will be the starting quarterback once the dust settles – This is the most intriguing of the six and the one that will be the most scrutinized out of any of them, seconding guessing by media & fans. Even coaches will have a hard time deciding if the competition is as tight as some in the organization believe it will be, as they flop back and fourth and wrestle with splitting reps amongst the signal callers.

How much will the new zone blocking scheme help the running game – Ultimately this is one of the ones that might not be truly answered until the 09′ season is officially in the books. Early indications are that even if the ground game should start off sluggish, the team will not waiver in its stance to continue too run.

Can Ronde Barber succeed in a bump-man coverage scheme – With the Bucs thin at cornerback Barbers’ ability to adapt or Jim Bates’ forward thinking in tweaking his coverage scheme will be a critical area of concern, but to doubt Barber at this point, before seeing him in live game action is just ludicrous.

Does the team have the players to compete week in-week out – Some media scribes and even fans have doubted whether or not Mark Dominik and Raheem Morris have done enough to assemble a competitive team in year one, of what many are labeling as a youth movement. Add to that fact contract disputes and no real upgrades on the defensive side and some are worried with the daunting schedule that lies ahead that the team just doesn’t have the players to compete.

Will Gaines Adams be able to show why he was drafted fourth overall in 2007 – All signs point towards a dedicated player showing up in 09′, but will it lead to a breakout season. Scheme change, extra work in the weight room to increase his lower body strength and even going back to the basics at Defensive Line, Inc. Has many believing that this season could finally be his coming out party.

Was Raheem Morris the right choice or a cost savings move – On the surface to call the hiring of Morris a cost savings move by the Glazers is biased on all levels, as they not only are paying Morris’ salary, they are still on the hook for Jon Gruden’s salary as well. It will come down to whether or not the team buys in as a whole and his ability to squeeze that extra effort out of a young team, while getting the most out of them to produce in critical situations.